A Colorado school district has closed more than 40 schools after a highly contagious virus outbreak

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/21/us/colorado-school-district-closed-virus-outbreak/index.html

Konstantin Toropin
By Christina Walker and Konstantin Toropin

Updated 2:51 AM ET, Thu November 21, 2019

(CNN)A school district in Colorado has closed more than 40 schools for two days after a virus outbreak rapidly spread through the student population, according to school officials.

It's the first time the Mesa County Valley School District 51 has had to close all schools due to illness, the district said Wednesday.

"We are taking this highly unusual action because this virus is extremely contagious and spreading quickly across our schools," Nursing Coordinator Tanya Marvin said in the statement.

More than a dozen schools in the state's 14th largest district reported increased absences "due to illness and several incidences of vomiting in public areas of the schools," according to the Mesa County Public Health Department.

A second, related virus has also been affecting students in recent weeks, the district said. "The combination of the two has created an unprecedented spread of illness."

"Onset of symptoms for both types of viruses, including vomiting, is incredibly fast. The second version also causes fever in several cases," the district statement said.

The health department says it is working to identify the illness, which is "acting a lot like norovirus" and lasts between 12-24 hours.

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Closing a whole school district for illness is a bit unusual.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. K&R

[VOX]

2. Norovirus-- you won't die, but it'll make you wish you would.

Both my wife and I had the norovirus last year, and it really does a number on your body. It also screws with your head, as you can’t believe how sick you are. All you can do is put a chair in the bathroom and whimper for hours.

And just a few particles can spread it, so closing schools is the best thing to do. Otherwise, the virus will eventually hit every student. It’s also a safe bet that the students who are already ill have brought it home to their families, who spread it further, etc.

With its high contagion rate, if the norovirus were fatal, it’d be an absolute monster to contain.